Need input on zero-maintenance reef

[fisherdonk]

Hi all,

I've been toying with the idea of designing a minimal/zero maintenance reef, and would like your input on feasibility. The idea is for a max 20 gallon tank.

The idea is to essentially have a small self sustaining ecosystem. The tank would be 4 glass walls, a heater, a light, and a water mover to create current.

Filtering would come from a thick (2") layer of sand. Cleaning would come from a minimal cleaning crew (4-6 diverse members, species composition TDB to address all types of algae). Live rock would also be used.

The tank would host only coral. No fish, as I think having their food source sustain itself would be quite challenging. Perhaps an anemone, and maybe a couple crabs or shrimp as part of the cleaning crew (or extra).

To address the need for water top offs, the tank would be sealed with a glass panel on top. The light would be shine through for the corals.

Do you think this would work?

I'm currently worried about getting a good enough seal on top to avoid salt creep and water loss. Toping off with some freshwater would be what makes this go from 0 to minimal maintenance.

At the beginning, the aquarium would need carbon and nutrient input for coral growth, but after a year when growth is at the level desired I think all inputs can be stopped.

 

[KrisReef]

Everything can be automated and with a battery backup and a reliable water supply for evaporation and water changes as long as the livestock can survive on light it could be hands off. So how do you wipe down the algae from the glass? Its my least favorite thing to do these days.

 

[brandon429]

Corals are heterotrophic

The description above is for plants, autotrophs. How will this distinct trophic rule change your sealing plans

 

[brandon429]

The ny met museum I think it is, has a 20 year version of this goal to study

How many corals are in their tank

They have a plant + shrimp system, the rule governs what they put into a system without routine protein input

I assure you this is a thirty year attempted goal in reefing. The limits are protein input required. A reef system can self degrade for years potentially, depending on quality of live rock. That's not an ecosystem, an ecosystem adds mass not subtracts from it

A set of rocks that by rule trend towards plant growth and away from corals is opposite of a reef, protein is required and non negotiable.

 

[brandon429]

Also

Sealed reefs are possible

You just have you raise the lid occasionally, for rule things. Is it possible to run a reef that does not ever evaporate? 1000% yes.

A sealed non evaporating reef doesn't have to be lock sealed, get creative with sealable, liftable lids. Feed it sometimes, it'll work then.

 

[brandon429]

Someone strong in reefing told me that rule, in 2002 on reefcentral. Eric Borneman

At the time for sure I didn't believe him

 

[stE25wy14]

The ny met museum I think it is, has a 20 year version of this goal to study

How many corals are in their tank

They have a plant + shrimp system, the rule governs what they put into a system without routine protein input

I assure you this is a thirty year attempted goal in reefing. The limits are protein input required. A reef system can self degrade for years potentially, depending on quality of live rock. That's not an ecosystem, an ecosystem adds mass not subtracts from it

A set of rocks that by rule trend towards plant growth and away from corals is opposite of a reef, protein is required and non negotiable.

I cant find the met tank, could u link pleeeaaasseeee

 

[stE25wy14]

a 20gal low effort would be difficult, mostly cause of the size, smaller tanks are known to be harder to keep because they are more prone to swings and bigger devastations than bigger tanks, since there is way more space, meaning more time for devastations to work its course in big tanks than in a small tank
u could run a macro/softie tank, with snails, cleaner blenny or goby, urchins, inverts, auto doses and ato
just my thoughts!!

 

[brandon429]

 

[fisherdonk]

Corals can sustain themselves on the energy given to them by the algae symbiosis they host. That's actually where most of there energy comes from.

I envision the cleaning crew to take care of the glass.

Definitely won't be lock sealed.

I don't see why the ecosystem must add mass rather than stay at a constant mass and let energy travel through it. Proteins can be resynthesizes from the matter in the tank.

 

[brandon429]

there's a % gained by carnivory and it's required

Do a search= a self sustaining reef

It is not possible to grow coral in a light only system.

Still set one up though/ excellent practice

 

[VintageReefer]

Check my tank thread

 

[stE25wy14]

It is not possible to grow coral in a light only system.

exactly this
i was wondering for the past (nearly a year) why nothing was growing!! i had lights setup pretty well, but i needed to dose, now, everything is growing like a weed, and ive only dosed for the past 3 days!!!
so...
auto feeder, auto doser, ato, and u do waater changes :D

 

[stE25wy14]

Check my tank thread

hey, just wanted to say sorry for bringing u into the thing i tagged u in yesterday, nerves got the best of me :zipper-mouth-face:

 

[brandon429]

if you're dosing ion supports that won't be the change, protein is the change

if you have ever fed fish that condition is met/it'll be some other cause

by all means people should set stuff up, evolve. but what the met has is the best science we've seen so far.

 

[stE25wy14]

so theres a difference between low maintancnce and no/low filtration, it seems like you are doing both.
you are still going to need filtration, like a small sump, with filter media and whatnot. maybe run a skimmer too, or run a canister filter. the wavemaker will sometimes need to be cleaned thoiuh

 

[Bohemian Waxwing]

There are many “sealed” reef bowls out there. Check out the nano reef section or try a google search. They often run an air stone and still require some maintenance.

I’m just not sure I really see the upside. It’s not really ideal for the animals (although it seems like Zoas and a few LPs do thrive in the reef jars). The downside, which is more likely, is that it will crash and the living animals will die.

 

[sally666]

Why are there some people in this forum that say you need to do water changes and there are some people that say the opposite? Which one is it?